Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry rotini pasta
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic – finely grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper – finely ground
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes – halved
- 1 1/2 cups cucumber – diced (seeded) (~1 medium cucumber)
- 1 cup red bell pepper – diced (~1.5 medium red bell peppers)
- 1/2 cup red onion – thinly sliced (~0.5 medium red onions)
- 3/4 cup pitted black olives – sliced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls – halved
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley – chopped (~0.5 n/a parsleys)
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook until al dente, 9–11 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water until fully cool; shake off excess water and set aside.
2. Make the dressing: In a measuring cup or jar, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, finely grated garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, sugar, fine sea salt, and finely ground black pepper until emulsified.
3. Prepare the mix-ins: Halve the cherry tomatoes; dice the cucumber (seed if watery); dice the red bell pepper; thinly slice the red onion; slice the pitted black olives; halve the fresh mozzarella balls; chop the parsley.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cooled rotini, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, black olives, mozzarella, and parsley. Pour the dressing over and toss until everything is evenly coated.
5. Cover and refrigerate 20–30 minutes to let the flavors meld, stirring once; it’s ready when the pasta has absorbed some dressing and the salad tastes bright and balanced. Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
Pasta salad is a chilled, toss-together dish built on short, sturdy noodles that hold onto a zesty vinaigrette and a colorful mix of vegetables. The flavors balance tangy, savory, and lightly herbal notes with juicy bites of tomato, crisp cucumber and bell pepper, briny olives, and creamy cheese for contrast. It’s versatile, picnic-friendly, and meant to be made ahead so the pasta can absorb the dressing and everything tastes cohesive.
While cold noodle dishes exist around the world, the pasta salad most familiar in the United States grew out of Italian-American antipasto flavors adapted for potlucks and deli counters. It rose to popularity in the late 20th century alongside backyard grilling culture, often appearing at cookouts and gatherings. Over time, it has developed two broad families—vinaigrette-based and creamy styles—with countless regional and household variations.